Bill Meltzer: Flyers Gameday: 10/22/14 @ PIT

well, we can't do any worse than we did last night.

Still a work in progress, but they really need to show up for the first period of the game...

If you just look at the Flyers lineup you posted their are so many black holes right now, it is scary..

Giroux, Jake and Simmonds are basically it. Jake looks like he is ready to have a break out year with the way he is skating and playing.

The third line is useless offensively right now, i know that is supposed to be their checking line but they dont have enough offense where you can separate everyone into roles. If Read and Umberger are not contributing and to this point Couturier just doesnt seem able to sustain offensive pressure then that is 2 of your 4 lines that are not helping you score goals.

It is really disconcerting when you have about 80% of your players that are not bringing anything to the table offensively. I know it's a long season and everyone will end up producing how they normally do but it's tough to watch right now.

Nothing like a road game in against the Pens to get em goin

Philadelphia's penalty killing started the season on a 9-for-10 run but has been torched twice in each of the last two games.

We shouldn't be surprised. The two top defensemen from last year's 7th ranked PK have played one game this season.

There really was no momentum to carry over as the defense was just as bad against Dallas. The only difference was that the Dallas defense played almost as bad and the Flyers were able to outscore them. They weren't going to put 6 goals up against Chicago.

There were no positives on the defensive side of the ice in either of the last 2 games.

One move I wish they had explored more in the offseason was Nick Leddy. He went for prospects and while he will probably never be a top pairing defenseman he would be, imo, the 3rd best defenseman on the Flyers at the age of 23 and capable of playing in all situations.

Umberger needs to be sat down at this point, his effort has been questionable and his play terrible. 4 shots in 6 games playing in the top 9??

What about Read? He only has 7 shots and has gotten 4 and half minutes more ice time per game than Umberger.

If you just look at the Flyers lineup you posted their are so many black holes right now, it is scary..

Giroux, Jake and Simmonds are basically it. Jake looks like he is ready to have a break out year with the way he is skating and playing.

The third line is useless offensively right now, i know that is supposed to be their checking line but they dont have enough offense where you can separate everyone into roles. If Read and Umberger are not contributing and to this point Couturier just doesnt seem able to sustain offensive pressure then that is 2 of your 4 lines that are not helping you score goals.
- opeth_pa

Time for a big change.

Bellemare-Giroux-Voracek
BSchenn-Couturier-Read
Raffl-Lecavalier-Simmonds
Rinaldo-Jones-Umberger

well, we can't do any worse than we did last night.
- FlyerGuy

Thankfully, the Penguins aren't as good as the Blackhawks.

That said, the Pens are gonna be pumped for this game and they have a new coach, etc, etc.

They can't come out tentative and scared like they did last night.

If you just look at the Flyers lineup you posted their are so many black holes right now, it is scary..

Giroux, Jake and Simmonds are basically it. Jake looks like he is ready to have a break out year with the way he is skating and playing.

The third line is useless offensively right now, i know that is supposed to be their checking line but they dont have enough offense where you can separate everyone into roles. If Read and Umberger are not contributing and to this point Couturier just doesnt seem able to sustain offensive pressure then that is 2 of your 4 lines that are not helping you score goals.

It is really disconcerting when you have about 80% of your players that are not bringing anything to the table offensively. I know it's a long season and everyone will end up producing how they normally do but it's tough to watch right now.
- opeth_pa

I understand what you are saying about the third line, but when you have ZERO offensive zone starts in a game, it makes it kind of difficult to generate offense.

Pens' PP is at 47%. More than a couple of penalties and we will be screwed.

Bill Meltzer: Flyers Gameday: 10/22/14 @ PIT
- bmeltzer

As the great principle Ed Rooney once said, "this team has a first class ticket to nowhere."

I found myself watching the remake of Friday the 13th last night. That was less painful than the slow death that is the 2014-15 season.....

CMON Flyers let's get it going This League NEEDS a Good, Fast, Tough, Flyers Team.

CMON Flyers let's get it going This League NEEDS a Good, Fast, Tough, Flyers Team.

I understand what you are saying about the third line, but when you have ZERO offensive zone starts in a game, it makes it kind of difficult to generate offense.
- MBFlyerfan

Making guys have to go 200 feet every time AND expecting them to score consistently is foolish.

CMON Flyers let's get it going This League NEEDS a Good, Fast, Tough, Flyers Team.


- BruinBlood

The league is going to have to be a little patient and wait 2 or 3 years.

Making guys have to go 200 feet every time AND expecting them to score consistently is foolish.
- johndewar

That isn't what I'm saying at all. But then you probably knew that.

What about Read? He only has 7 shots and has gotten 4 and half minutes more ice time per game than Umberger.
- Feanor

Yeah Read and Umberger have both been disappointing thus far. I thought Read looked decent in Dallas but I've only really noticed Umberger when Vinny was in the lineup. What about placing Akeson or Umberger on Raffl's spot? Raffl is a fantastic forechecker with excellent puck pressure, mobility and decent along the boards. He could help out some of the more grinding lines out a bit more, i.e., PEB's unit or Couturier's unit.

If you just look at the Flyers lineup you posted their are so many black holes right now, it is scary..

Giroux, Jake and Simmonds are basically it. Jake looks like he is ready to have a break out year with the way he is skating and playing.

The third line is useless offensively right now, i know that is supposed to be their checking line but they dont have enough offense where you can separate everyone into roles. If Read and Umberger are not contributing and to this point Couturier just doesnt seem able to sustain offensive pressure then that is 2 of your 4 lines that are not helping you score goals.

It is really disconcerting when you have about 80% of your players that are not bringing anything to the table offensively. I know it's a long season and everyone will end up producing how they normally do but it's tough to watch right now.
- opeth_pa

I think you are being a little easy on Giroux. What exactly has he done at even strength. I don't think they should trade him by any means, but he needs to play better 5 on 5. Right now Voracek is carrying the first line.

So far, Hornqvist is doing exactly what I expected him to do playing with Crosby. Hornqvist scored 30, 21, 27 and 22 goals in his four full seasons with Nashville. That's pretty good for playing with a less-than-stellar centerman on a defense-first team.

I understand what you are saying about the third line, but when you have ZERO offensive zone starts in a game, it makes it kind of difficult to generate offense.
- MBFlyerfan

Couts has two more even strength goals than does Giroux. In fact, he has as many even strength goals as anyone on the roster.

I knew they wouldn't be a good team this year, but what I've witnessed so far this season has been down right atrocious! The defense can't get the puck out of the zone and when they do, they are either icing the puck or sending it right to the other team. The top line sustains offensive pressure, but can't finish on a consistent basis. The rest of the lines aren't contributing at all, except for Simmonds and most of his damage is coming on the power play. Read doesn't look like himself, B. Schenn has had one good game out of 6 and Umberger...well for everyone that said his preseason wouldn't be how he played during the regular season, guess you're eating those words right now! Hextall needs to either let the team go in full tank mode and allow all the prospects to develop outside the NHL or make some moves (trade the Schenns)to give this team a jolt.

I think you are being a little easy on Giroux. What exactly has he done at even strength. I don't think they should trade him by any means, but he needs to play better 5 on 5. Right now Voracek is carrying the first line.
- ManCity

Yeah Giroux doesn't have that same feistiness we've seen in years past. When he was a rookie in the playoffs against the Penguins, (when the Flyers were eliminated) he was one of the Flyers best forwards. Killing penalties and holding on to the puck by himself deep in the Penguins zone - killing precious seconds off of a Pittsburgh powerplay.

I just hope he doesn't evolve into a high-priced PP specialist because, damn. His payday has arrived but he's still in the shadows it seems.

I think you are being a little easy on Giroux. What exactly has he done at even strength. I don't think they should trade him by any means, but he needs to play better 5 on 5. Right now Voracek is carrying the first line.
- ManCity

This whole team at even strength is ridiculously bad. When you add to that the inability to kill penalties, you have a recipe for disaster.

When you sleepwalk through a game like last night, you don't draw any penalties. And when you live off your power play, and draw no penalties, you have a gourmet restaurant full of disaster recipes.


Last night was a perfect storm of suckage. I am getting really tired of these slow starting teams that seem to be the Flyers M.O. for over 4 seasons now.